Cracks in the Mirror
by KellyTaylor
Summary: AU Levy hasn't had the easiest life, living alone with both parents gone and no idea what to do with her life she starts Senior Year. Everything is normal except when she meets someone that makes her life take a turn, but is it for the best?
1. Chapter 1

Opportunity: _Noun. __a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something._

Levy knew the definition of opportunity, but she couldn't see one for her. She knew she was a Senior in High School and still had time to sort out _something _to do with her life, but of course whenever someone would ask her "what are your plans for the future?" she would choke up, her palms would break out in a clamey sweat, her heart would beat harder than a drum about to burst, and that same feeling was with her now, crawling into her mind as she got ready for her first day of Senior year. She would do her regular routine, shower, blow dry, dress, etc., but today she felt like her legs where rusty metal in need of oil and she had to force herself to move them, but not too fast, and not too slow, or they might stop functioning all together. Now, don't see the young blunette in a negative way, she has many beautiful qualities, she enjoyed people and would radiate a smile at anyone who came her way, trying to strike up friendly conversation and give away compliments as if it where Christmas and not to mention she is quite intelligent with her 3.8 GPA which like any other would bob up and down, but still stand in a favorable number, and she would put her heart into anything she felt was needed to get done, so why did she feel so lost? Whenever she would fall asleep with anxious thoughts she would dream a dream that caused her stomach to tie in a never ending loop of knots.

First she see a little blue haired girl standing in a black space with a spot light beaming on her, brown eyes wide and afraid, looking for someone to guide her, but she knows it's time to move forward on her own, but where does she go? Who does she go to? She starts to walk, but slowly, only to move, not to reach a destination, then the most frightening thing happens, the spot light starts flickering, her heart beats matching it's rapid dancing, then she's in the black, but she doesn't scream, she just falls to her knees and closes her eyes and waits for someone to find her, even though she knows no one will. The little girl is her. She was finishing getting out of the shower when she looked into the mirror. Her small frame was shivering as a breeze wafted through her lonely apartment, as lonely as she looked at the moment. She would smile and try to stay positive but her life wasn't as perfect as everyone assume. When Levy was 14 her parents had died in a car accident, but her parents didn't only die that day, part of Levy did. Of course, like any normal girl she cried, she cried for days, she wondered why, she cursed herself, and anything around her. Her Aunt and Uncle where kind enough to take her in and help her get back on her feet, and eventually she did, she smiled again, she felt happiness again, but nothing was ever the same.

When Levy turned 18 she had saved up enough money from constant shifts at the mall helping sell cell phone cases after school and at a hot dog stand outside the park that would get rude snarky costumers and grease stains splattered on her apron and clothes. She worked herself from 16 until 18 so she could afford to leave her Aunt's house as soon as possible, not because she didn't love them, but because she didn't want to burden them. Levy was young when her parents died, she didn't care that everyone else was affected, and she forgot how much her Aunt loved her sister, but Levy only saw herself as the victim, and she felt she owed it to them from all of the extra heart break she had caused with her screaming and constant tears to get out and let them finally have their lives back, and so they could finally stop being reminded of their loss. Of course now Levy was at a crappy apartment, she could have afforded a better one, but she didn't want to work two jobs frequently with little to no breaks in between, and then wake up to school in a few hours after she got home, no, she would get a crappy apartment and work one part time job, and drive her crappy car, but she was alive and breathing, and she was lucky enough to have a roof over her head, and Levy truly believed even when a mirror completely shatters, you can put it back together, and even though the cracks may show, the person standing in front of the mirror is still whole. Levy smiled at her reflection and tried to suppress her ever growing nerves. Yes, she was frightened senseless about her future, and yes she wished she could rewind time, and would if given the chance, but she had to look forward and go on or else the mirror will start falling apart again, and she wouldn't let that happen.

She walked out of the bathroom and went into her room to finish getting ready. Her room was small, with wooden floors that had worn spots where termites used to eat at it before she called someone to fix the problem, and white dirtied walls that she didn't bother fixing. She had a small T.V but it only played in black and white and would refuse to go at times, and a small bed in the corner that was just a metal stand with a mattress, a few sheets, a thin plain blue blanket, and a pillow which smelled musty and felt like a rock. Yes, Levy's room did look disastrous, but she never stayed in it for long, because in her stuffy closet, she kept her few articles of clothing, and her many, many books. Levy loved books, which is one of the reasons when the T.V didn't work she could hardly care, but if she couldn't find a book she was reading, her world would seem to pause and she would rip through her room frantically until it was found, which it always was. She would leave her room, yes, but only to go to the fantasy of books, of people who find themselves when they feel afraid and lost, when they felt like she did. Yes, yes, she knew that it was completely different, and she could hardly even hope some magical phenomenon would happen and spin her life in the right direction, but it gave her hope, and that's all she really needed, a sprinkle of sunlight in a thunderstorm. She finished blow drying her blue hair and slipped on her plain white shirt, and dark blue skirt, the uniform of her school.

Levy didn't hate or love school, she felt the stress of it, but it also made her feel like everyone else. At school, you're the same as everyone else, you're wearing the same uniform, or clothes at least, you're walking down the same halls, you're learning important skills, and your home life doesn't matter, at school she felt normal, she was just another normal school girl. Before walking out of her apartment. She had played with the idea of taking her car, but she didn't want to waste the gas she had in it, and the estimated walk to her school was 20-30 minutes, and since school didn't start for another 40, Levy mused their was nothing to worry about. She slipped her matt black school bag over her shoulders and looked at the sidewalk ahead, it seemed to stretch out forever, to another world, maybe one where nothing bad happens, where people live forever, where black ice doesn't pave the roads, and where cars with two loving parents don't swerve off the road and out of a little girls life forever, but no, it lead to school, and a world of confusion and doubt, but Levy jutted her chin upward and put on her best smile and started walking. Wherever the sidewalk takes her, wherever it may go, it would start here, and she would figure out what was at the end, but right now, it was time for school.

Her first day of Senior year.

**Authors Note: **Okay, so every story I've read, or some for the most part, that take place in an AU give Levy a pretty good life. I figured I'd play around with the idea of her having a harder life, because I see her as a strong minded girl who would get through it no matter what, and she seems a little unsure of herself in the Anime, but she has the abilities to move forward and stay herself which I love, so here's the first chapter of the story!


	2. Chapter 2

"Welcome to Fairy Tail Highschool, Enjoy Your Stay"

That's what the sign in front of the tall brick building read in a bold red with a background that was the color of a pumpkin. Levy liked the sign, the 'Enjoy Your Stay' part made it feel more of a home than a school, and it gave her a strange feeling of warmth in her heart she couldn't quite pinpoint. As she pushed her way through the crowd of people anxious to make there way into the building she finally made it to the sleek, newly cleaned glass doors and pushed them open with little effort.

A cold rush of air greeted her as her blue hair rustled. The school smelled like sweet perfumes, lemon pledge, and pastries. Levy looked around the large school lobby and felt so...small. Yes, she knew she was 5'0 and around 120 lbs if not less, but this was different, in the huge wave of students flowing in she couldn't find a single familiar face, and a painful twinge of fear trickled into her stomach. She knew that if her old friends Jet and Droy hadn't moved she wouldn't be so alone, they would make sure of that. Last year, before the left, the first second she walked in they barged through the crowd of students right to her, screeching her name and catching the attention of the others around them.

Levy had been embarrassed, but she had never felt more wanted, and that was undeniably a good feeling. They would go everywhere with her, the movies, shopping, dinner, and even to homecoming (although she made it a crucial point that they where only going as _friends_.) Now, as she stood here and a lobby full of sweet smells and strangers, she longed for her friends, and she would do anything to find a rewind button to bring her back to the previous year. She glanced around the crowded room once more before looking for the information desks that where posted the first day so she could get her schedule and go to her classes. She heard of a bunch of new students coming from a school that had burned down during the summer, she didn't know all the details, or even the name of the school, but she couldn't help but feel sympathetic for those who where employed there, losing their jobs in a flash of ember, but she quickly shook the thought away.

As she pushed her way through a few chatting girls and burly men she finally found her way to a information desk, and although it was also crowded, she was able to make out a smiling face of a new intern, or at least she assumed. The woman at the desk could be no more than 22, her pale, fair complexion, ocean blue eyes, and silk smooth silver hair that was shoulder length screamed "model", and Levy couldn't help but be in awe. The woman nodded at one of the students she was helping, causing a small ponytail of bangs to bop up and down on top of her perfectly shaped head. Levy got in line to get her schedule and in 5 minutes was in front of the beautiful woman.

Levy couldn't help but feel a wave on insecurity before she began talking.

"M-Mcgarden, Levy Mcgarden, may I please have my schedule? I'm in my senior year.

"Of course! I will get that right away!" The woman cheerfully said and shot a smile at Levy before returning to work. Levy smiled back at her, trying to show how much she appreciated the help. Soon enough the silver-haired woman pulled out a box of files labeled 'Seniors' sloppily in a purple crayon and started to flip through the names, it took a few times but soon she stopped flipping and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Levy with delicate hands.

"Here you are, and have an amazing first day of senior year!" Levy nodded and squinted to read the woman's name tag.

'Hello, My name is Mirajane Strauss' bold black print followed by her name in cursive blue sharpie elegantly scrawled on the slip of rectangular paper.

"Thank you so much Mirajane, have a good day!" Levy replied back, and after receiving a grateful nod moved out of the way so the impatient students behind her could continue on.

As Levy looked at the black text on the paper she groaned, Gym, first period. Levy failed Gym as a sophomore and in exchange had to take it again now, of course she excelled in her other classes, but when it came to running, weightlifting, football, and other sports, she had...difficulties. As a small kid her asthma was terrible, if she ran half a lap she would collapse in a series of pained breathes. She was sent to the nurse one time, and needed her inhaler to do any physical activities but once when she forgot it, she lied and said she took it to avoid being yelled at by her gym teacher.

She had pushed herself through the entire lap and because of that she was admitted to the hospital from a severe asthma attack. They told her in 10 more minutes she could have been in more fatal danger. She was only in 3rd grade, and the thought never really sunk in until she was older that she could have died and realized an E on a 3rd grade report card was not worth her life.

When Levy finished reading a list of various Honors and AP classes and a few other filler classes she looked up from the paper to see a young girl, around her age, staring down at a schedule in horror. Levy noticed small bead of sweat going down her face and wondered if she was ill. She was very cute. She had fine blonde hair, half of it pulled into a short side ponytail with a dark blue bow to match her form-fitting uniform. Her eyes were a chocolate brown like Levy's and her skin was slightly tanned and spotless as a freshly painted wall.

Levy slowly approached her and beamed a smile

"Excuse me, are you okay?" The girl looked up, startled and then a flood of relief took over her, her facial muscles relaxing and her sweat stopping

"Oh, thank goodness! I'm completely new here and I have no idea where to go! I picked up a map of the school from the office but I am totally terrible at directions, I swear I'd lose my way to the bathroom at night if it wasn't for it being right next to my room!"

Levy gave a small laugh and shook her head

"Don't even get me started, the first day of freshman year here I walked into Algebra class when I was supposed to be in English, I was so embarrassed and to add insult to injure when I went to walk out I tripped on a sheet of paper on the ground and broke my nose."

Levy felt warmth hug her face when she saw Lucy's mouth gape open in horror until she broke into a fit of laughter, Levy's face pinkened but soon enough she was reeled into the laughter.

She felt good, she liked this girl, whoever she was, probably a student of the burnt down highschool, but wherever she came from she gave Levy this strange feeling of friendship, different from Jet and Droy's, but all the same it was something she could get used to, something she _wanted_ to get used to. After their laughter seized Lucy shook her head, as if to clear her mind of the laughter like a etch-a-sketch would do.

"My name is Lucy Heartfilia, and since you said you where here freshman year, I figure you've been here for long enough to tell me where my classes are?" Levy smiled

"Yeah, I've been embarrassing myself here for years, and sometimes even publicly, my mom used to say I was a walking comedy"

Levy felt her heart twinge with pain at the mention of the her mother, her smiles faltered for a split second before she plastered it back on, but couldn't help but feel it looked forced.

"Anyway, my name is Levy Mcgarden, and yes I would love to help you out!"

Levy helped point down certain halls and explained what ways to go to get to each class, and Lucy pulled out a small pen with small blue cartoon cats with wings on it to jot down notes to keep her from getting lost.

Levy felt like a block of coal had been dropped into her stomach as she realized she had no classes with Lucy, who she felt she really hit it off with.

"I guess we have no classes together," Levy stated, trying to maintain a perky tone, although the coal in her stomach seemed to weigh more by the second.

"That's such a bummer, my family just moved here, and I have no idea who anyone is, but hey, I hear they have a creative writing club, I was thinking of joining it, but I'm way to embarrassed to let anyone read my work..."

Levy's ears shot up, and she looked at Lucy with the eyes of a predator.

"You write books! Oh common you have to let me read them! I love reading, and I'm not much of a writer myself, but I would love to read yours!"

Levy could write essays and factual pieces of work very very well, but in 10th grade she had and assignment to write a fairy tale story of her own. Levy couldn't remember exactly what the plot of her story was, but it was bad enough that she got an F on the assignment and her teacher called her over to the desk to ask Levy if she was sick when she wrote it. That was another embarrassing moment for Levy, she had turned as bright as a tomato, quickly mumbled she was feeling fine and explained her difficulties, leading her to after school help to perfect the writing of short stories, but Levy only managed to get a C+ when she rewrote the story.

Lucy suddenly looked like she had come down with 105 degree fever and shook her head wildly

"I'm writing a short story, so I'm still in the process and I'm not really that good of a writer myself..."

"Oh Lucy, you could be no worse than me, trust me, I would never make fun of you, and if you let me read it I will buy you an ice cream sandwich in the cafeteria tomorrow morning!" Levy said and shot her eyebrows up and down in anticipation.

Lucy bit her lower lip nervously, weighing her option and finally rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine, I'll bring it in tomorrow, the same day I better get an ice cream sandwich or we're going to be the first fight of this school year!"

Levy beamed in triumph.

"Thank you so much Lucy! And trust me, I will get that ice cream sandwich to you if it costs me an arm and a leg!"

They shared another fit of laughter before Lucy changed the subject

"Well, it's 7:35, and class starts at 7:40, so can I have your number for my phone? You're probably the only friendly face I've seen today, even the staff, teacher, man, guy, who handed me my schedule looked scary"

Lucy whispered the last part and pointed behind her with her thumb at the information desk behind her.

Behind it was Laxus Dreyar, sighing as he shifted through files and unenthusiastically handed it to a student, when he was thanked he gave a half-hearted thumbs up and waited for the next student.

"Oh, that's Laxus, the principal's grandson, we get new interns every year, and he started last year, he actually graduated from _this_ school, I knew him when I was a freshman, he may seem scary, but he really does care about the school and the students in it" Levy said with a smile.

She knew Laxus pretty well, her first week of freshman year, he was a senior, he was one of the tallest males, towering over everyone, he was very burly muscular man with grass green eyes that where perfect for shooting dirty looks, hair as yellow as the sun, and a scar he got in a fight that dragged down is eye like a lightning bolt.

Levy knew he looked frightening, but she would always remember that one her way back to class from the bathroom, a girl with short silver hair and flawless teal eyes was crying in the hall over her brother being in the hospital and Laxus was sitting there, talking to her, his normal piercing eyes soft as he told her that her brother needed her to be strong, helped her to her feet, wiped her tears with a shriveled up tissue and escorted her back to class.

Laxus was all in all a terrific man.

Lucy slightly shrugged her shoulders, not totally convinced.

"Yeah, yeah, he's nothing but sunshine and smiles, but seriously, what's your phone number? I need someone to talk to when I get home or my head might just explode from all this stress, if you're picking up what I'm putting down"

Levy felt her face redden as warmth spread through it like tap water spilling onto her. She didn't have a phone, well... a cellphone that is, and she was more than sure enough that Lucy would rather text her than call her apartments phone every time she wanted to talk, plus her apartment phone would drop calls as often as a person blinks or breathes it wasn't even worth calling people half the time, and Levy rarely had to since she only really hung out with Jet and Droy, and they basically where right behind her wherever she went.

She remembered last year, her teacher asked everyone to take out their phones to sign up for homework reminders, and when Levy spoke up and said she didn't have one, her teacher raised in eyebrow in disbelief

"Are you kidding Miss Mcgarden?"

Everyone gave snickers and sneers in her direction, and Levy had felt so humiliated at the response she asked to go to the bathroom and let hot tears pour that stung her eyes wanting to escape in the classroom but she was too prideful to show.

She always felt dehumanized in the school, but an embarrassing comment from an authority figure truly hurt, and she remembered wanting nothing more than to disappear, but she had gotten over it, and definitely did not want to relieve that moment now.

Levy took a deep breath but before she could even think to let it out the bell rung signaling the end of any conversation, and for once since Levy got to the school, she felt utterly relieved.

"Sorry Lucy, I guess I'll tell my number later! Gotta go to first period, but hey, I'll catch up with you later!"

Lucy gave her farewells as Levy faced the gym that was just left of the lobby.

Students lightly brushed past her, and all relief Levy previously had flowed out of her like a waterfall and fear filled her like a cup.

"Well, let's see if I humiliate myself this class" Levy sighed and walked over to the glossed wooden doors, pulling on the stainless steel handles, and entering one of her least favorite classes.

Gym time.

**Authors Note: Okay, I am so sorry if I have mispellings, grammar errors, or even if I said "I" instead of "Her" and "Levy." I am so exhausted from school and just got to editing this. Sorry no Gajeel yet, but I plan on pushing him into the next chapter, I just wanted to give some of the other main characters there backstories and parts in this story. If you're confused message me, but I'm giving more information about everyone in other chapters and that should clear up any wonders about them. Well, bye! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

The air in the gym smelt musty, almost garage-like, despite the fact they had the entire summer to spruce it up. Scanning over it, Levy realized that not only did the unpleasant smell of the gym stay static, so did the appearance of it.

The gym floors, she would admit, where nicely polished and gleamed in the slightly flickering lighting, and the marks of the basketball court where newly painted the school colors, deep reds and oranges, but other than that the gym wasn't the best kept room in the school. The nets they used to play indoor soccer where in the back of the room, corners taped with black dusty tape and rips along sections of the netting which would often lead to a soccer ball escaping out the back when someone scored a goal.

The trash cans that where at each end of the gym where supposed to be orange and red, but the dirt and mold that crept up from behind and hugged them gave them an almost ancient look. The bleachers that where usually up and spelled FTH in red resting on and orange background where now pulled down, and for the most part where clean except some permanent discoloration leading to light grays and blues on the seat, most likely caused from books bags and jeans.

Levy took another breath and held it in her lungs for awhile before letting it out. Her nerves seemed to be hustling up and down her bodies, making her feel like there where tiny needles tapping at her arms and legs. She continued to walk in, dragging her now log-like legs with her and could finally see a small groups of people talking to each other, moving there arms as they spoke, laughing, shaking and nodding heads, and catching up.

Levy didn't recognize any of the people around her, causing her stomach to lurch forward painfully, making her grasp at it.

She highly doubted any of the people around her where seniors, it was pretty rare for anyone to fail gym, but Levy, of course, didn't have the best luck.

As she gave the crowd another quick glance, she noticed a girl sitting on the front row of the bleachers, her elbows where pinching at her thighs, and she rested her chin boredly on top of her palms. She was very pretty, short shoulder-length silver hair, crystal clear teal eyes, soft shiny lips that where in a disappointed pout, and a beautiful complexion that seemed to almost glow.

Levy recognized this girl, it was the girl Laxus had been comforting about her brother, Levy had forgotten the name of her, if she had even known it in the first place, but she seemed like a kind enough face to at least try to get to know. Levy walked toward the bleacher, careful not to make eye contact with the other groups around her. When she was in front of the unenthused teen, the silver haired girl didn't look up, or speak, her eyes seemed far away and blank suddenly, and Levy mused she was in a daydream.

Levy gave a small noise that resembled a cough to get her attention, and as to not startle her. Among the ever-growing noisy gym, she wouldn't be surprised if the girl didn't hear, but she did. The girls eyes suddenly maintained their normal clear look as she looked up at Levy. She looked confused for a split second but suddenly her glossed lips formed a small smile, her unblinking orb-like eyes sparkling.

"Hey there! Can I help you?" her voice was very calm yet had a perky edge to it, like wind chimes on a breezy afternoon.

"Well, not exactly, it's just you looked familiar, and I have no idea who anyone is in this class since I'm a senior and this is more of a freshman and sophomore class, so I decided to just come by and say hello" Levy responded, trying not to let her voice crack.

She wasn't nervous, no, but the smiling girl in front of her baffled Levy. From a distance, her beauty was noticeable, but up front it was radiating off of her like the warmth of Levy's old indoor-heater she got a garage sale.

The girl nodded slightly

"Yeah, I can relate to that, I'm a senior too! I failed gym sophomore year, and now here I am, and I have absolutely no clue who anyone is in here, I'm Lisanna Strauss by the way, I don't think we've ever had classes together though."

Levy blinked her chocolate brown eyes and beamed a smile that would match the glowing of Lisanna's.

No, she couldn't remember a single class they had had together, then again every year previous to this one seemed like a blurry haze of smiles, frowns, tears, and laughs, nothing was really clear to Levy, she couldn't even remember what events happened in what particular years half the time. Then Levy thought back to this morning, the beautiful ocean blue eyed woman who had handed her her schedule with a radiant smile and delicate hands, her name was Mirajane, Mirjane Strauss.

"Hey, that reminds me, are you by any chance related to a Mirajane Strauss?" Levy asked it unsurely, she always seemed to ask these question expecting a yes, but that was almost never the case.

Lisanna's smile widened and she dipped her head in a feeble nod

"Actually, that's my big sister, she graduated from a private school a few years back and studied to become a music teacher, right now she's been hired as an intern and is subbing and helping around, I think today she was handing out schedules, but I got mine from Laxus since people seemed to be...avoiding his line more"

Levy put her hand onto her lips and chuckled lightly

"Well, he looked on the verge of banging his head through the table, I wouldn't be surprised if someone thought they where about to become a victim" Lisanna rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling slightly while doing so.

"Please, Laxus wouldn't hurt a single one of these students, plus, if he did, I'm sure his grandfather would bash _his_ head through a table"

Before Levy could reply the late bell roared throughout now almost empty halls causing Levy to jump slightly as if she had been shocked by lighting. She felt her face redden around her cheeks as she sat next to Lisanna on the bleachers.

All the students who had been in groups shoved and pushed each other as they walked up the bleachers causing the rusty metal steps to clank uncomfortably in Levy's ears. As the talk of student slowly died down to low whispers and the occasional cackle from the underclassmen, heavy sneakers where heard thumping on the gym floor echoing throughout the spacious area.

From the men's locker room came out a man that wore a dark blue hat on a shiny bald head, a white baggy shirt, blue khaki's, and blue and white sneakers which where worn at the edges with small bits of plastic shriveling out from the shoe. His face was round but his bone structure made it seem narrow, he wore dark black sunglasses that where pointed at the ends, and his nose was as square as a brick, his lips like sausages lying on his face. He had a blue whistle hanging loosely from his neck onto his shirt next to a lightening coffee stain and he was fairly tall and well built.

He was Levy's gym teacher from sophomore year, and her worse nightmare.

Whenever she would get tired running laps he would bark at her

"Common Mcgarden, keep runnin'! You don't got those legs for nothin', but it sure as hell seem you dont use em for anything, considering there as weak as spaghetti!"

Levy gave out huffs of breath, pushing her burning leg muscles to keep going even though they screamed at her to stop. After that day she stopped participating, she didn't want to hear his constant screaming and yelling, but now she would have to deal with it for a semester or fail...

_again_

As whispers where exchanged, the tall man snarled

"Who they hell is talkin' in here?! Am I gonna have to go up there and sit you guys 5 feet apart or somethin'? Are we in 4th grade? Now I don't want even a whisper? You get that kiddies?"

They got it alright, Levy could hear the kids behind her suck in breath and could almost feel them tense up. He smiled slyly, showing his sharp canines and continued

"Good, my names Mr.. Bristle, make fun of the name, it'll be the last think yah do, now here's the rules..."

Levy drowned him out by then, she knew every tedious rule from no drinking to no being a "wuss", if that was even a serious rule to be followed, but knowing him, it was.

She started to think about Lisanna and Laxus, that day when he was comforting her, she wondered if she should bring it up, but decided not to, even though Levy was sure Lisanna's brother who was previously hospitalized was okay, but she also felt it would be strange to admit her spying on the scene.

As Levy was starting to get absorbed in her thoughts the doors to the gym screeched open, piercing her eardrums that felt as if they would pop at any second. She quickly snapped her drooping head up and looked at the doors.

Levy was surprised at what she saw, and wondered if she was imagining it.

There stood a fairly tall male, around her age, if not a year or two older. His hair was black as a starless night sky and flowed down his back like a shaggy under-kept horse mane. He had studs going across his eyes brows and two underneath his lower lip. His eyes were a fierce red with rage burning beneath the surface, and the way the scanned the room reminded Levy of a lizard.

He was wearing a blue shirt and long tan pants which where crammed into a pair of combat boots with old dirt caked and dried at the bottoms and around the edges, making his pants balloon at the calves awkwardly.

He was quite muscular, and even with his shirt on Levy could tell he had a well built chest.

His arms where thick coming out from the short sleeves, and his face was etched in anger and annoyance, as he slammed the door behind him.

Levy blinked in shock, the doors where supposed to slowly close on their own, it was fairly difficult to push shut, and he did it with such ease Levy was shocked he hadn't broken it.

He began walking towards the bleachers, hands in pockets, hardly looking at anyone, his worn, dirty combat boots slammed against newly polished gym floors, causing them to smear and look worn once again. Mr. Bristle growled in annoyance

"Well look at that, right when I'm explainin' the penalties of being late, some big tough-guy comes waltzing in like he owns the damn joint!" he hollered obviously annoyed by the less than pleasant interruption.

The black haired beast simply gave a "tchh" and brushed off the hulking mans hollers as he sat down away from everyone else.

"Well then Mr.. hot-shot, what would your name be? I would like to know, so when I send a complain to the office, they know what little shit to look out for"

Levy shyly stared at the male who had just walked in with anxious brown eyes, as if he would snap his head up and snarl at her, but he did no such thing.

"Damn, why don't you calm down, so what if I'm late? I woke up late and took my sweet time, you're lucky I'm even here, and why don't you look at some attendance list or something and figure it out for yourself?"

Levy's eyes widened.

His voice sounded as if he had swallowed iron nails, it was so gruff, and she could hardly believe he would say something like that, especially as his first words to a newly introduced teacher.

Levy looked at Mr. Bristle, whose face had turned a bright red, a thick vein popping out of his neck.

"Oh, I know you, you're that one I was warned about, aren't yah? From that burned down school, that was going to hell anyway, if I do say so myself. Phantom Lord School, and you're that little ass munch Gajeel Redfox, aren't yah? Always getting into fights, causing trouble, I swear, pull that shit in my class an I'll-"

Gajeel's head shot up and he glared daggers his teeth bared

"You'll what? Let's be real here for a second, you can't lay a finger on me, or any of us, you're a stereotypical gym teacher, it's almost comical actually, you're acting all high and mighty, when in reality you can't do shit, all you do is talk, talk, and talk some more out of that sausage mouth of yours, why don't you do me a favor and instead of yelling at me for being late teach the kids who where here on time, ain't that what a good teacher would do?"

Levy spared glanced at Mr. Bristle, who looked about ready to explode when the bell rang, signaling her to her next class.

She quickly got up, along with the other students who where more hesitant, probably wondering if moving would cause the fuming teacher's head to detach from his shoulders and rocket into space. Levy hopped down the bleacher and walked toward the door, Lisanna quietly hustling by her side.

"Dang, that new kid sure has a tongue, huh Levy?" Levy nodded in shock as she heard Mr. Bristle growl

"Not you, stay a bit longer Redfox."

When Levy made it to the door and said goodbye to Lisanna she waited a bit for the flood of students to leaved the gym and the door to slowly close back into space before peering in the small glass window with wires crossing it like small diamonds.

She saw Mr. Bristle yelling, and pointing to the door, face beet red, and the male, Gajeel, standing boredly, rolling his eyes.

She was so mesmerized by his lizard-like eyes that she didn't notice Mr. Bristle began retreating back to the boys locker room and Gajeel was starting to come to to the door, eyes radiating anger, and lip twitching in a snarl-like position.

Levy's heart thumped in her chest sending vibrations to her throat as she moved quickly, but before she could move out of the doors way it flew open, hitting her hard in the face, causing pain to splinter across her nose and throughout her cheeks. She fell onto the ground with a thud, a sharp pain flying up her tail bone like a bullet.

"Umff" she heard the noise push from her throat, like toothpaste from a tube.

As she looked up, the wild beast looked down, he didn't look as angry as he did before, but annoyance dance on his face.

Easy to see and directed at Levy.

"Watch it you little kid" he snarled and began storming off down the hall.

Levy stood, hands cupped gently over her now swelling nose, face and tail bone aching. She couldn't believe this new kid...erm... no, what was his name?

Oh yeah.

Gajeel Redfox

**Author's Note: Okay, once again sorry for any mistakes/typos, and there you go, Gajeel made is wonderful appearance. Anyway, if you see any name's mispelled, sorry, spell check kept pressuring me into changing Lisanna's name to Lasagna, and um, I don't think that's her name. Anyway, thanks for reading! See you next update or something. Bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

Gajeel Redfox, Gajeel Redfox, Gajeel Redfox, _Gajeel Redfox_

The name swam through Levy's head feverishly, bouncing off her thick skull and causing her head to pound like an amp after a guitar string is plucked. After her fall, Levy had taken out a black pocket mirror with a pink rose whimsically painted on the surface to check the damage caused by the "accident"

She was _not_ happy with what she saw.

Her nose had turned a purplish-green color and was ever-growing in size due to swelling, her tailbone still throbbed her, almost as much as her now present headache, and she was sure it sported the same bruise as her nose. Levy had saw the damage, which was another reason her shock and confusion had been quickly blown away, and now she was covered in a fresh sheet of irritation and a smoldering anger.

She was trudging down the halls, which where mostly clear except for the few people who where pulled to the side talking or kissing as if they where starved animals, and she was now making her way down a poorly lit hall that smelt like tuna and had dirt on the floors, and walls chipping white paint in random spots, making it look unprofessional and old. Levy didn't quite care though, she couldn't get over how rudely she had been spoken too by the new kid _Gajeel_.

Yes, she will take full responsibility for getting hit in the face, she was spying and she should have minded her own business, but he didn't even apologize for assaulting her with the door! She shook her head quickly from right to left, trying to get the thought out of her mind, but it only served to give her a wave of dizziness and slight nausea, causing her to feel more inflated with annoyance.

"He called me a little kid, _me,_ maybe I am a year younger than him, or heck, we could even be the same age! That doesn't even matter, I'm sure I'm mentally older than him, I mean who picks a fight with a Gym teacher, or any teacher first thing when they walk in? He was even late! So it was _his_ fault and _he_ should have just taken responsibility, and he calls _me_ a kid? No way!"

Levy had stopped walking in the middle of the hall, she was close enough to her class that she wouldn't have to worry about being late if she took a short break, and quite frankly she felt if she went in now anything would set her off, and no one deserved to be snapped at just because someone else had irritated her. Although some people may not have the same views.

She looked down at her brown shoes, they where worn around the edges, but she tried to keep them clean with cheap polishes, she couldn't afford a new pair every year, but she didn't mind, they where just shoes, and at least they didn't have dirt caked all over them like _Gajeel's_.

She gave her head a slight shake, much more delicate than she previously had to avoid another wave of nausea.

She didn't care about her shoes right now, or_ Gajeel's_, all she cared about was that she was angry, but the problem was she didn't understand why she felt so angry, she had been treated this way by other students every so often, perhaps less severe, but the same none the less, and yet, she felt so insulted when this... _Gajeel _had done it, and she couldn't pin point why.

She felt her face grow warm, feeling her irritation at her unsure emotions and the male who caused them growing once more. She clenches her small hands into fists so hard her nails dug into her skin and stung her like a group of small bees.

"Stupid...," she huffed out angrily her shoulders slightly shaking as she lifted her knee up so her foot would float off the ground.

"Stupid Gajeel!" She squeaked in annoyance as she allowed her foot to slam onto the dirtied floor.

She felt a shooting pain rush up her leg and immediately regretted her actions but was thankful she was able to let her irritation out somehow, and she reassured herself it was better than letting her anger build and bursting into a million pieces.

She gave out a sigh and unclenched her fists, she felt a slight pain in her palms as the blood started to flow again and her tightened fingers began to relax, revealing small white marks on her sweaty palms where her nails where cutting her.

She took a deep breath and started forward to class. She passed rows full of orange and red lockers and wooden doors with posters and teachers' names' on them before coming to her own classroom.

As she got to the door she took a deep breath and let it out, calming her nerves once more before going inside. She read a poster pinned to the door

"Just because it's a Friend doesn't mean they have to end"

It was styled in black bulky letters with a pink background and cartoons bees in the top and bottoms corners. Levy smiled at the tacky saying and felt like herself once again. She took the cold metal handle and opened the door, allowing the chatter of students, laughter, and the smell of air refreshers and cinnamon candles hit her bruised nose. It was time for one of her favorite classes, English.

To say Levy liked English was an understatement. It wasn't full of people she knew, which she understood considering it was an AP course, and none of the people she was acquaintanced with had gotten into the class, but all the same she enjoyed the reading and learning about new characters, seeing the world from new eyes, cheering them on when they found a bump in the road, feeling her heart beat with glee and relief when the bump was smoothed out, or feeling her heart would break when the character would trip on the bump and never get back up.

Those where the worst books, Levy believed, but the most realistic, because not everyone got a happy ending even when they deserved it.

Levy had walked in, and made herself comfortable in an empty seat in the front row, although no one seemed to make notice of her presence. The room had a cozy and loving feeling to it, It was small, but it felt like it had a lot of emotions tied within it. It was clean for the most part, the glass windows that lined the walls, letting the sun bathe the students with yellow warmth, where spotless, and in the back of the room there stood 4 wooden book shelves, nicely polished and rowed with books thick and thin, all to Levy's liking.

The floors where the same as outside except nicely mopped and only had a few dirtied spots which where most likely made this morning, and the light pink paint that covered the walls and gave off a slight sent that told Levy they had been painted recently.

The desks where all lined up in rows with back of the chairs facing the books and the students all faced the whiteboard that had a purple cup on the side of it with colored markers and on the board at the top in pink read , in perfect cursive writing. Levy felt her eyebrows shoot up, she hadn't realized there where two teachers with the name Bristle, and highly doubted they where related given the sharp contrast of the room of each teacher alone. Suddenly Levy was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a squeak come from behind her.

Levy quickly directed her attention to the source of the noise and saw a long wooden desk that had various novelty items and photos lines on it. Getting up from behind a black chair behind it a woman was getting up that wore a beautiful blue dress that had short sleeves and dark blue buttons lined with silver going down it.

It stopped right at her knees and flowed outwards elegantly on her thin, pale legs.

Her face matched her legs in color, and her chocolate brown eyes where so wide, Levy couldn't imagine how they managed to stay on her face.

Her brown hair was sleek and shiny and reached down her back almost touching her bottom. She smiled her sweet glossed red lips and clicked her black heels to the front of the class.

"Class, class, please quiet down!"

She had an angelic and kind voice and the class quickly quieted down. As the woman look around from the front of the room she seemed pleased with silence and continued going

"I'm , and no, it's not a coincidence that I have the same last name as Mr. Bristle the gym teacher," she said, her smile widening and a slight pink blush coloring her pale cheeks

"We are in fact husband and wife, but I'm sure you will see a difference in our teaching patterns, so don't think I'll make you run laps around my room if you do something wrong!" The woman tilted her head slightly to the right while smiling, causing her hair to waterfall down her shoulder.

Levy felt a shock extend from her heart to the rest of her limbs, she was not expecting to be married, he never said anything about it, and she definitely did not expect his wife to be such a kind, beautiful, and well kept woman who when she smiled a wave of gentleness seemed to flow throughout the room.

"Now," said Mrs. Bristle

"let's get started on the class rules, shall we?"

English seemed to fly by quickly after that. Mrs, Bristle calmly explained the basic rules that most classrooms had and certain objectives she wanted us to meet by the end of the school year.

The only homework Levy had was to write paragraph on herself and her various hobbies to help Mrs. Bristle learn about all of her "wonderful" students, as she had said.

Just like English, all of her classes seemed to run past Levy quickly. Business math, History, and creative writing (a course recommended from her previous English teacher who believed she could use some extra "help" in that department). All of them went the same way, an explanation of rules and objectives then time to chat with fellow students, which Levy didn't seem interested in, since everyone seemed to already know eachother, she felt it would be better to just sit and wait for the bell to free her from her cages. Then finally it was lunch, much to Levy's relief. She was hoping she'd go down the the cafeteria and hopefully find someone to talk to and get any negative thoughts out of her head that she had.

As she made her way down the halls the rush of people pushed her left, right, back, and forth like she was a small silver ball in a huge pinball machine.

She had to struggle to get to the steps, and was thankful she wasn't pushed down them. She carefully clutched the railing and made her way down the white steps with caution as people going the opposite direction bumped into her.

When she made it to the bottom floor and faced the cafeteria she had to push through a couple more groups of people standing by, who seemed unsure as if the should enter or not.

Levy finally reached the handles of the large intimidating doors, and tugged on them with a little more effort than needed, to get them open.

It was then that Levy realized how hungry she truly was as the smells of pizza, fried dough, meat cooking, cakes being baked, and fruit being blended flooded her nose, and her stomach growled loudly enough to make a park ranger warn campers to beware of a bear.

She clutched her stomach and let her head drop in humiliation.

She had forgotten to eat this morning she was so anxious about her first day of school, and silently she cursed herself for not bringing any money for food.

She sighed as she began walking through the various lines of people who where waiting for food, and got to the opening where all of the round and rectangular tables sat. She looked around as a few people from behind nudged her out of the way and gave a few rude

"move's"

but Levy was too busy scanning the faces around her to see if she could identify anyone, and similar to all of her previous classes, the answer was no.

After a few more attempts at looking around she spotted familiar silver hair and looked down to see Lisanna chattering away with a girl who wore red lipstick, had perfectly straight green hair, dazzling black eyes, and blue rounded earrings dangling from her ears like tree ornaments, matching her uniform.

Lisanna seemed to have sensed someone staring at her and turned her head up, teal eyes meeting brown, and waved her hand to signal for Levy to join her, a smile on her face. Levy felt relief swell inside of her and waved back, but as she began making her way to the rectangular table. Then suddenly, someone who was quickly walking the opposite direction collided with Levy full force and a tray of pizza and vegetables toppled on top of her, staining her white shirt with a crimson red sauce and greenish wet stains from broccoli and string beans.

The girl who previously held the tray put her hands to her mouth, eyeliner rimmed eyes wide open showing their deep blue and obvious regret. The horrified girl had blue wavy hair that was shoulder length, and pale complexion, that was now twisted in horror.

"Oh my, Juvia is so, sorry, I-I didn't see you, do you need help up?"

Levy hardly heard it the guilty woman's cries to help, all she heard were the mutters and snickers from those who saw it

She felt her face grow warm with a deep red blush and her eyes began to sting and tears started to fill them.

She slowly got up and turned around abruptly, shoulders starting to shake from holding in her still building emotions.

"N-no, it's okay, you didn't mean it, I'll just go to the bathroom and wash it off, d-don't feel bad."

She shakily said the words to the still fussing blue haired woman, trying to keep her tears back and bolted out of the cafeteria. She had to push through crowds of people but ignored their

"Hey's!" and

"Watch it's!"

Until she reached the exit to the back of the school, where the principal allowed student to go if they didn't feel like going to lunch or needed fresh air between classes, and Levy felt that she could never go back inside the school. As she pushed open the cold metal door and slipped out, the sun hit her teary eyes causing them to water more so and when she heard the clunk behind her, and she knew she was completely alone, she slipped down the brick walls of the school, dug her face into her knees, and started sobbing.

Sobbing because she was humiliated, sobbing because of Gajeel Redfox, sobbing because she wanted her friends Jet and Droy back, and sobbing because she wanted her mom to hold her and tell her everything would get better, to tell her that she was strong, and just because things look bleak, doesn't mean they are truly as they appear.

Yes, Levy wanted that, but she knew her mother and father where gone, she knew everyone she wishes was here was gone and she was alone. She knew that all she wanted was a hug and a kiss goodbye when she went off to school this morning, and to hear "Levy!" when she walked through the school doors. She knew what she wanted, and she also knew she could have none of it. She had tried, Levy had tried so hard to fix the mirror, but the cracks where too thick, and bulky to get past, she could hardly see herself in her reflection, all she saw was a shattered girl with a shattered heart.

Levy repaired the mirror like her mom said to, but all she saw where cracks.

All there is is cracks in the mirror.

Levy sat there and sobbed, but little did she know, from a distance, behind the dumpster, red, lizard-like eyes where watching her

**Author's Note: There where so many mistakes in this chapter I had to take out a paragraph and rewrite it, but now I like the looks of it a lot better. For me Levy and Gajeel's relation "theme" is opposites attract, so I used Mr. and Mrs. Bristle to help really show that theme. I mean Levy's least favorite class is gym, and her favorite is english and both rooms and people are opposite so yeah. Anyway, I'm not really sure how to let the next chapter play out, I was thinking of making it Gajeels POV up until this point which would be a bit harder, but hey, if your up for it I am. I'm still not completely sure, but I'll see if it works. Stay Lovely!**

**(P.S. Yes, I made up Mr. Bristle and Mrs. Bristle ^^, thank you for the reviews!)**


	5. Chapter 5

Gajeel Redfox felt he was a pretty reasonable man. If something or someone pissed him off, he wouldn't sugar coat anything, he'd either break it if it was an object or threaten to break it if it was a person.

Simple? Yes, but not everyone seemed to agree with him, but Gajeel couldn't care less if he tried, not that he would.

His day did not start out like he had planned, and when the loud scream of the alarm buzzer shattered his ear drums, and wanted nothing more than to slam one of his already decaying walls in. As the alarm clock had buzzed, seeming to echoe of the walls directly into Gajeel's brain, he felt himself snap and brought a strong fist down on the snooze button, hearing a crack and was sure he has broken it, but didn't care, and soon drifted off back into a blissful sleep.

Later he regretted his poor decision when he woke up 50 minutes late and had to quickly get ready, or he _should _have quickly gotten ready, but he just rolled uncaring crimson eyes and took his time.

He was starting a new day at Fairy Tail High School, since his other school had been part of a terrible fire, if anything Gajeel was ecstatic, he hated that old shitty school, but was overwhelmed with a feeling of rage when he realized he would just be transferred to their schools supposed "Rival". Gajeel truly didn't give a damn about what school was better, his heart was like a cold hunk of metal, and felt any school was a waste of his time since he would only just pass his classes with a 60 or, if he squeezed a drop of effort in, a 65.

Gajeel's old school went by the name of Phantom Lord High and it was run down before the fire, so he didn't feel like it was such a big loss.

Right when you walked in it would smell like a sewer in some halls and like expired tuna fish in others. The staircases lacked these particular smells, but it was filled with the sight and scent of cigarette smoke and sometimes the swirling gray was so dense it reminded him of a chimney.

Apart from moldy walls, bad smells, and cigarette smoke the people at the school pissed Gajeel off to no end, and with _hi__s_ lack of patience a simple insult could cause him to fly over the edge and ultimately into the principals office, waiting for the number of days he was suspended to be thrown at him like the feeble fists of his victims.

Gajeel was sure his new school would be informed of his "record", he had gotten into a handful of fights which all sparked from "watch it buddy's" to someone trying to prove they where a force to be reckon with, which they never were.

In comparison with Gajeel, everyone looked like a daisy next to an oak tree.

He was a tall, and quite well built from free time well spent at the gym, and mixed with a rocket-fire temper, he was almost ensured a win when a fight would ensue.

He remembered once kid, Randy Slaver, a small kid standing at 5'3, lanky skeletal limbs, pale ratty brown hair, emerald colored green eyes, and a face as white as powder.

He had moved and came to the school in a sweat and dirt stained uniform, a hat with the word "FIGHT" in bolded red colors on matt black turned to the back of his head, and confidence that got him in a cast.

He had thought he could get away with it, get away with slyly bumping into Gajeel and giving a loud

"learn to walk, dumbass"

to show the school _he _was tough. Of course Gajeel stopped in his tracks and dropped the metal tray of grayish meat, hearing it clank loudly on the ground signaling the boy walking away from him to also stop.

It was during lunch, and the entire cafeteria went from laughing and chattering playfully, to dead silence, almost as if mourning the dead, or the _soon _to be dead.

Gajeel abruptly turned around to face the smiling kid, he was only barley at Gajeel's chest, which only enrage him more.

This kid thought he, who could hardly even look Gajeel in the eye, could talk to him like trash. Gajeel bared his white teeth, red eyes blazing like a forest-fire and snarled, like a predator about to tear apart his prey.

"What the _fuck_ did you just say to me?" He growled in his rough voice.

The kid in front of him didn't seem faczed and slowly walked up to the fuming Gajeel, his plastic battered sneaker bottoms squeaking like squirming mice.

"You heard, me, but if you didn't here's something that'll help you hear."

He went to punch Gajeel in the face with his bony, spider like hands, but before his pointy knuckles could hit Gajeel's jaw, he took his own gorilla-like hands and wrapped them around his puny wrist, and with one squeeze a pop like a cork being pulled from a wine bottle rang through the cafeteria, and as Gajeel tightened his grip it followed with a crack that sounded like a thick branch being hit on a hard rock.

Randy's ugly, pale face had seemed to go even whiter, if even possible, and his eyes widened and where entwined with both pain and shock as his mouth fell into an o.

Gajeel smirked and threw the boy back by his broken wrist, and the cafeteria was dead silent for about 4 seconds before the boy, now on his side and grasping at his wrist , knees curled to stomach, howled like a shot wolf.

10 days suspension, out side of school, if Gajeel Redfox is to step into school grounds while on this suspension, he will be immediately expelled, no exceptions.

Gajeel smiled a toothy grin at the memory before heading out of his gone-to-hell apartment. Then when he got to the school his mood changed.

It was of course cleaner, and more pleasant smelling, but his first class, gym, which he was obviously late to, had a teacher that made Gajeel want to grind his head on a cheese-grater.

The teacher was bald, angry and probably just another lonely man whose "love" is most likely watching sports on a big-screen that he had the money for because he didn't have a wife to spend anything on. He was threatened with suspension if he didn't get his act together and he was on his way.

He had gone through most of his classes fine, because for the most part, teachers aren't usually hulking temper infused assholes but then came lunch and of course he didn't want to be in a room full of laughing and happy wastes of good oxygen, so instead he went outside by the dumpster, only to hear the door open and shut, which really pissed him off.

Gajeel took a deep breath and before he even looked from behind the trash can he felt a smoldering rage unleash from his stomach, warming his muscles. He hates being bothered when he wanted to be alone, even if the person didn't notice him, just being in the same space pissed him off.

He wanted total and complete privacy. He was ready to jump out from behind the dumpster and tell who ever it was to leave or he'd _make _them, but then he heard something, a weak, but delicate sobbing.

He stood there motionless for a few seconds, the smell of old food and mold filling his nose, causing him to scrunch it up like a rabbit.

As he stood there, listening to the sobbing he felt a breeze push through his shaggy hair as the warmth of the sun hugged his tan skin.

His patience was wearing thin as he waited for the sobs to stop, and suddenly it snapped like a rubber band being stretched to far and poked his head out from behind the dirtied green dumpster, not caring if he was getting dirt on his uniform and saw a girl, sitting against the brick wall, face in knees, hiccuped sobs coming from her as her shoulders shook.

He raised a studded eyebrow, she looked familiar, but short blue hair shrouded her face like a curtain.

After the sobbing had seized and the girls body frame stopped shaking Gajeel moved closer behind the dumpster, waiting for her to bring her head up. A few seconds past, which felt like 10 minutes to the impatient man, and finally he saw her wipe her nose and eyes on her arm.

She gave another sniffle until her head finally poke up shyly from behind her knees. It was in that moment her recognized her. Her chocolate brown eyes glistened with tears, and stray hairs from her bangs clung to her wet, pink cheeks, she gave small delicate sniffles from a bruised nose that was swelling on the bridge and turned a light shade of purple and blue.

He remembered her alright, she was that dumb freshman who was in the way of the door.

He gave a grunt of annoyance as he remembered her looking up at him with fear filled eyes, holding her nose. She seemed like any other air headed girl out there and she didn't even apologize for being in his way.

His thoughts where then flooded with a new voice, hers.

"I-I can't believe this happened, I just want to rewind back to this morning, then everything could have just been prevented."

He didn't have a clue in hell what she was talking about and quite frankly didn't care, but if he wanted to leave the dumpster without being seen and accused of spying, she'd have to get her ass out of there, he really didn't feel like putting up with this girls questions or complaint.

A small breeze came by and he saw her blue hair lift and rustle with it, she closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying it as she took a deep breath in,

As she let the breath go through her nose it sounded like radio static from her fit of sobs.

She opened her eyes again, new tears forming.

"I-I just want to go home and f-forget this day ever happened" she mumbled, as the new tears waterfalled over her bottom lids and down her cheeks. Soon enough her head was down and she was sobbing again.

Gajeel groaned, he had had enough of this squirts complaining, she was what, 15? What the hell happened to make her even cry like this? Probably something stupid like messing up her hair.

Finally Gajeel decided to make himself visible, he would just ignore her if she talked to him and maybe give her a shove out of the way if she started to annoy him to much.

He stepped out from behind the dumpster and let the gravel crackle beneath his black, dirtied boots, and began walking towards the metal door but the girl didn't notice, not even when he was towering right over her, casting a shadow down on her small frame.

He was about to reach for the handle, but something was bothering him, it was her.

What right did she have to cry this hard? None probably, and if he didn't find out the stupid reason and rip her apart for it, he'd have to go to his next class in a bad mood, or a _worse_ mood.

"Hey, you, sitting on the ground, what the hell are you crying about?" he growled, she bopped her head up in shock, almost hitting it against the cold brick wall and blinked away some tears. For a second she looked confused, and then horror struck

"W-what are you doing here?! How long have you been watching me?!"

He rolled his eyes and shot her a cold look that caused her to recoil like she'd been slapped in the face, he found it almost comical.

"I'm pretty sure we're all aloud to be here squirt, and I wouldn't have to watch a dumbass freshman bawl her eyes out like a baby if she hadn't rudely interrupted me trying to get some alone time."

The girl beneath him raised both of her eyebrows, and then she gave him a look that shocked him, she looked angry, but her voice still shook, and her breathes where feeble.

"S-squirt?! Freshman? I am 17 years old and I am a senior! and you're right, we are all aloud to be here, so I didn't rudely interrupt you! I was just going where I was aloud to, it's not like you own the outside of the school!"

Gajeel clenched his teeth, he could hardly believe she was a Senior, did she think he was stupid? Also, who the hell was she to be talking like this to him.

"Yeah right, I've met peas bigger than you shorty, you're probably 14, 15 max, and you better watch your mouth or I'll take a stapler and staple it shut."

The girl didn't seem fazed by his threats, which only fueled him more, how could a girl so small be so infuriating?

While he was lost in his thoughts the girl slowly pushed her self up revealing a red smear on her shirt accompanied by light green smaller blotches, before he could ask, she quickly spoke up, her voice slightly stronger than it had been before.

"I am 17, I failed my Sophomore year of Gym class so I have to retake it now! I know you saw me there, you assaulted me with a door and didn't even say sorry! Oh, and just like you said to Mr. Bristle, I know you're just talk, you wouldn't hit me, and don't even try to say differently!"

Gajeel started to grind his teeth together and clenched his hand in tight fists as he felt the tendons in his arms tighten, he could hardly believe this girl was the one in hysterics not 5 minutes ago. He took a deep breath, no, he _wouldn't _hit her, but that didn't mean he didn't feel like punching her in her already bruising nose.

"Fine, you're a senior, happy? And why the hell where you even crying? Did yah' break a nail or something?"

He knew he struck a nerve when she had looked like he hit her in the face with another door, and he gave a sneer, feeling good to have caused such a reaction.

Suddenly her face returned to that of anger and she directed her delicate hands to the stains on her shirt.

"Maybe I'm crying because I banged into someone, got food spilled all over me, and half the cafeteria was laughing at me! Oh, or maybe it could have been the fact that I have no idea who anyone is, and everyone seems to avoid me like I'm a disease, or, or maybe it's the fact that some guy hits me with a door and then screams at me when all I want to do is cry in peace! Oh, but since I'm a girl it has to be some petty stereotypical thing like breaking my nails, or messing up my hair! Doesn't it!?"

Gajeel gave a dry chuckle

"Oh boohoo, princess get's hit by a door and doesn't have the perfect first day of school so she throws a hissy fit, that sounds pretty petty to me" he snarled, but instead of fighting back like he expected her face dropped and she looked down, giving him a strange feeling, but he brushed it off, reminding himself she deserved it for her snarky remarks.

She looked back up, but this time she looked a little bit perkier, like he had given her 10 dollars and a pat on the back, which confused him to a further extent.

"Y-yeah, I guess you're right, I mean it could be worse, I guess it was a petty reason to be crying, I should have gone to the bathroom and washed it off, but now it's probably a stain, I really wish I'd thought ahead"

Gajeel felt his eyebrow jerk up again, this girl was definitely stranger than anyone he had met before and he could never guess what in the hell she was going to say next.

Before he could say something back, if he even knew_ what_ to say back, she beamed a smile at him and spoke in a sweet tone laced with kindness, something it lacked before in it's weakened state.

"I'm Levy Mcgarden by the way, I'm sorry for blaming some of this on you, it was kind of my fault anyway for standing at the door, I guess I'd better go inside now and maybe try to clean the rest of this off, if I can...It was...nice to meet you..."

she said the last words uncomfortably, like they didn't fit in her mouth, but she maintained her smile until the second she left a confusion-struck Gajeel standing silently.

He closed his eyes and opened them again, his red irises focusing on the sunlight that cloaked them, trying to catch his train of though. He mentally thanked himself for never letting himself get involved with the emotional wrecks that are called girls, because if they where anything like Levy Mcgarden, he'd drive himself insane.

He stretched his neck side to side feeling the tendons stretch, giving off a small ache and let out a groan that felt it was suffocating him trying to get out from the second the blue haired shorty had left his sight.

A piece of work was what she was, but like every other "work" Gajeel was faced with, he decided not to even touch it, to merely give it a glance or two before forgetting it even existed, like you would with a stranger on the street.

He gave another groan he felt he had deserved for his tolerance, he knew there was a good 10 minutes left to the lunch he had ditched to be alone, which hadn't exactly gone the way he wanted it to, he even hid behind a dumpster that smelled like rancid meat and sour milk to avoid any human interaction, but that girl had rudely interrupted him with her water works.

Gajeel rolled his crimson eyes and wrapped his fingers around the handle of the metal door that was printed with a sign that was a dirtied white with a nearly scraped off sign of a poorly draw cigarette with dotted smoke lines coming through it crossed out to indicate if you where planning on smoking, you'd better get your ass out of school if you knew what was good for you.

Gajeel gave himself a mental push, he would rather forcefully pull out every stud from his permanently scowled face than go to his next class.

It was wood Shop , and he felt like it was a shitty class, he would rather work with metal, he wasn't sure why, but he did like the feel of metal in his hands, it was as cold as ice and as strong as a bear, just like Gajeel felt _he_ was.

If someone threw a punch at metal, the would feel like someone shot them in the arm and cry out in pain, and if someone punched Gajeel, he would rip their arm off and make them wish they'd never even thought about the action, or do as he did with Randy and just pop it off.

Gajeel have a toothy grin, revealing glistening white teeth as the sun danced off them.

Why shouldn't he like metal anyhow? Thinking back to the morning earlier and Randy, he remembered the nickname he was given for being able to bring a guy to their knees with one hand.

The Iron Fist.

**Author's Note: **I am so so so so tired and this may have came out horrible I'm not sure I always feel anxiety when I put up a new chapter. Honestly for every chapter I end up taking paragraphs out and replacing them, changing the outcome of the chapter, it's crazy and sometimes I'm nervous I might mix things up so please don't get annoyed if I apologize at the end of every chapter. It's just so hard with school and everything to get chapters out, this actually had been written out since last week, but there have been sooooo many changed to it, for the better I think since he was severely lacking and I added over 500 words I believe to it and took out a bunch, so yeah. Hope you enjoy this!


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